GRAND ISLAND, Nebraska – Nebraska has a proud history of planting trees. Nebraska’s 23 Natural Resources Districts (NRDs) help landowners plant more than a million conservation trees each year. Since 1972, the Central Platte NRD has sold more than 3.7 million trees.

Conservation trees benefit both people and animals by providing shade and shelter, reduce soil erosion, protect crops and livestock, provide food and cover for wildlife, buffer noise, provide valuable products and add beauty to our landscape.

The Central Platte NRD is now taking orders for conservation seedlings for spring planting. There are several varieties of conifers, shrubs and deciduous seedlings available; all selected to grow well in central Nebraska. 

Conservation seedlings are ideal for landowners to plant as windbreaks, wildlife areas, riparian buffer strips, or for other conservation practices. The seedlings are grown at Halsey State Forest and are generally one to two years old when landowners receive them. 

Seedlings are sold in bundles of 25 for $22.50. A tree planting service is available for orders of 200 trees or more.  The planting service costs an additional $.40 cents per seedling. To have a planting plan designed for you, contact your local USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS).

Small-acre packages are also available for landowners who don’t need 25 of the same kind of tree. The small-acre packages have 50 seedlings for $55 with five different species (10 of each kind) and are tailored for Eastern Nebraska, Western Nebraska, Flowering and Wildlife packages.

Central Platte NRD also sells fabric weed barrier to control weeds and conserve soil moisture. It is made of a polypropylene geotextile woven fabric that allows water to seep through, but sunlight can’t penetrate it. The fabric is sold in 6-foot rolls and 4-foot sheets. Weed barrier may be purchased without an order for trees.

To place an order, contact the Central Platte NRD at 308.385.6282, email Kelly Cole at cole [at] cpnrd.org, or contact your local NRCS office. Tree photos, detailed descriptions, and order forms are available at: www.cpnrd.org.